Iconic Tyrone buildings get deep purple facelift

Mid Ulster’s landmark cultural buildings will be transformed by light shows promoting different charities every month, if ambitious plans get the go-ahead.

An oasis of colours is set to reveal Dungannon’s Ranfurly House, the Burnavon in Cookstown, and the Bridewell Centre in a whole new light, kicking off with deep purple this week.

Mid Ulster Council has granted permission for the light displays which will transform the town centres from Saturday October 31 to Monday November 30.

The scheme has been launched to coincide with Pancreatic Cancer UK’s Purple Light of Hope cancer awareness campaign for the month of November.

At October’s monthly meeting of the council’s development committee, the Director of Culture and Leisure sought permission for the illuminations from the council chamber.

Supporting the proposal, DUP Councillor James Shiels asked for the Bridewell Centre to be included in the initiative.

UUP Councillor Trevor Wilson also suggested that the spectacle should part of an ongoing campaign to promote different charities, with a new colour lighting up the iconic buildings every month.

“We want to raise the profile of as many charities as possible”, he told the Tyrone Times.

“They do such excellent work in fundraising and promoting greater health awareness, and we should be doing as much as we can to support them in a practical way.

“The light shows will also add a bit of colour and civic pride to our town centres.”

A spokesperson for Pancreatic Cancer Action said: “The turn it purple campaign calls for businesses and individuals to highlight the fifth deadliest cancer in the UK by embracing purple – the symbolic colour for pancreatic cancer – by shining purple lights on buildings or other structures in their community, wearing purple and spreading awareness for supporters to wear something purple at the office, at home or at school and to donate to fund life-saving research. By turning the UK purple in November 2015, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, it will help generate discussion and awareness of pancreatic cancer, which we know can directly impact awareness of symptoms and boost GP visits.”